


Of the Night

by hktk



Category: Persona 4, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Older, Drunkenness, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 23:37:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3429704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hktk/pseuds/hktk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minazuki leaned down as well, putting a hand around his shoulder and running a hand through his hair. Big tears, cascading down into the snow, interlaced with the vomit, and Sho shook with something that was akin to fear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of the Night

"Mina _zuuuuuki_!" The cry of help pierced the night. People, strangers, hurried past the small group of three men. The redhead, who had been the source of the previous shriek, was kneeling, while the silver haired man crouched over him, holding his shoulders, and the brunet wasn't even looking at them, with his hands behind his head and with a grimace on his face.

The sleek black car that had pulled up opened its doors, and out stepped a man that looked eerily similar to the redhead, with the only differences being how they dressed. The new man closed his door, opened the passenger side after swinging around to the other side, and crossed the sidewalk to the group, where he knelt and replaced the silver haired man's hands.

"Sho, I'm here," Minazuki breathed.

Sho's dried up tears began to flow again, and he threw his arms around Minazuki, holding him in a chokehold. Minazuki didn't mind, and he rubbed Sho's back soothingly with one hand. He glanced up at Yu, who took hold of one of Sho's arm, and together, they brought the man to a standing position.

"How much did he have to drink?" Minazuki shifted Sho so that he was at his side, though the latter refused to let up on his clinging, arms around Minazuki's chest.

"I lost count," Yu answered sheepishly, "sorry."

Sho's shoulders shook with nigh violent sobs, and he clung even tighter, burying his face into Minazuki's shoulder and gripping at the fabric of his shirt. Minazuki kept his arms around him, trying to soothe him by rubbing his back again, though it didn't work very well. He let out a sigh and pulled a crisp bill from his pocket and handed it to Yu.

Although Yu took it at first, he tried to hand it back. "This is too much—"

"Keep it," Minazuki ordered, eyes betraying the cold expression on his face. "For your trouble." He started to pry Sho from him and meander back over to the car. "Thanks for taking him out, though."

Yosuke, who hadn't turned around at all in neither greeting nor farewell, snorted and lowered his hands. He said something under his breath, though Minazuki could not hear, and Yu elbowed him in the ribs. The pair disappeared back into the flow of the crowd, presumably to another bar or otherwise.

"M-Minazuki," cried Sho, nearly stumbling backwards into the car, "sorry..." He sniffled, tears abated for now.

Minazuki remained silent at that, tentatively letting Sho go once he was sure the other had his footing and removing his coat. The boy was shivering, and although he didn't know whether it was from him being drunk the first time or the cold, cold weather and wind. He draped the coat around Sho's shoulders, pulled Sho's arms through the sleeves, and zipped it up.

"Oh," Sho whispered, burying his face into the faux fur that lined the collar and the fleece of the inside, "it smells like you."

Minazuki smiled, though it was small. "Come on. Let's go home," he said gently. "Do you feel sick?"

Sho nodded and hiccuped.

"Will you make it home?"

Sho shrugged first, then nodded, snuggling further into the coat enough to pull the collar over the lower half of his face. That answer would have to do. The drive back to Inaba from Okina wasn't that long, but the pair lived on the edge of town, upping the total travel time to nearly an hour. Minazuki prayed that Sho could hold his alcohol long enough to let them get home without incident.

He helped the drunk into the car and buckled him in, being careful not to pull it too taut so as to not upset his stomach further. His hands lingered on Sho's legs for a moment, just to affirm that Sho was unharmed in the car, doing a quick scan over the other's body. He withdrew, eyes colder than they were before, and shut the door, crossing over to the other side and climbing in once no other cars came down the street.

Minazuki kept the music off and the heat on. This car, his own, as Sho preferred walking, was state of the art and the best purchase he had ever made, if only for the facts that it provided a quiet ride on the inside and allowed child lock on the passenger side, both aiding him in times when Sho was uncontrollable and unpredictable. In accordance with his careful and conservative fashion sense, Minazuki drove carefully, and contrary to his ornery appearance, Sho stayed quiet.

The ride was pleasant and they had almost crossed the Inaba lines when Sho made a sound, and his hand flew to his mouth. His other hand gripped at Minazuki's shoulder, and he looked ready to cry again. Instinctively, Minazuki pulled over and unlocked the the doors, reaching over to unbuckle Sho; as soon as he was free, Sho stumbled out and nearly fell into a snow drift.

"Sho!" Urgency and worry laced the single word that rolled off of Minazuki's tongue so easily. He jumped out of the car and strode over to Sho, standing at his side, and when he was there finally, Sho put his hands on his knees and bent over, throwing up whatever he had eaten and drank that night.

Minazuki leaned down as well, putting a hand around his shoulder and running a hand through his hair. Big tears, cascading down into the snow, interlaced with the vomit, and Sho shook with something that was akin to fear. Soon, he just stood there, forcing the vomit back down his throat, sobs still escaping his mouth long after the vomit no longer came. Minazuki said nothing; he just straightened Sho, running his hand through his hair one last time, and led him back to the car.

The last leg of the ride home was not as peaceful. Sho's tears fell freely, and he shook so violently that Minazuki was afraid he would vibrate through the window. He gripped the edges of the seat so tight that his knuckles turned white, and he sniffled and sobbed and whined.

Seeing Sho like this, naturally, upset the driver, and he reached over to Sho, prying one of his hands from the seat and lacing their fingers together. Sho looked down at the sudden contact, and seemingly all at once, was soothed. He still cried, though it was silent now, and his sniffling decreased.

Minazuki pulled into the driveway and shut the car off, reluctantly letting go of Sho's hand. He crossed to the other side and helped the other out. Sho stumbled forward, hands flying up to grip at Minazuki's shirt as he tumbled into him.

"Careful," Minazuki commanded, though it seemed to be softer. He shut the door and locked the car, practically carrying Sho to the house.

In the landing, he sat Sho down, removed his shoes and coat before doing the same for himself. Sho's shivering was more apparent now that the extra layer was gone, and he looked sick as a dog.

"Let's take a bath, first."

Sho nodded, too exhausted to say anything else.

Minazuki helped Sho back up, perhaps a little too quickly as a mistake. Sho stumbled a bit, a hand covered his mouth, and he began to cry again as vomit leaked over his fingertips. He misstepped, nearly losing his balance, and to compensate, placed the hand from his mouth on Minazuki's shoulder; he continued to upheave the rest of the vomit, coating the front of Minazuki.

Minazuki, obviously surprised, made a sound in the back of his throat, but he did not move away. In fact, he moved closer, supporting Sho, despite the reality that was him still throwing up all over him. It smelled disgusting, and he upturned his nose, shutting his eyes until Sho finished.

"M-Minaz-zuki," Sho whined, sniffing his nose and scrunching up his eyes when the acid traveled back down his throat.

Minazuki said nothing, at first. He opened his own eyes and stared into Sho's matching ones. With one hand, he brushed the hair from Sho's face, pushing it to the side, before cupping his cheek in his palm and sighing. His thumb ran over the streaks of tears, wiping them away.

"You're lucky I love you."

He leaned forward and kissed the top of his head, and Sho latched on. They both smelled awful, and being around vomit would just likely upset Sho even more.

As Minazuki ran the hot water, he stripped Sho first, then himself, piling all the clothes outside the door. He sat Sho down on a stool and sprayed him down with water, staying close just in case Sho got spooked like a cat. He never did fancy baths, but he seemed to be oddly calm tonight, perhaps because he was drunk.

He lathered Sho up, making sure to keep the soap from his delicate eyes, and rinsed him down again; he moved him to the bath so that he could wash himself, not minding that Sho watched his every move. He rinsed, then clambered into the bath too, situating himself behind Sho, holding him against his chest and stroking his hair in absolute silence. The steam from the water would do him good, Minazuki thought.

And it did. They both almost fell asleep in the bath, but when the water started to get colder and Sho's shivers started up again, Minazuki decided it was over. He wrapped a towel around Sho first before thinking of himself, making sure to dry both of them off thoroughly before exiting into the bedroom.

Sho seemed complicit as Minazuki dressed him in pajamas. He didn't say a word as Minazuki pulled the shirt over his head and pulled his underwear up. Sho sat on the bed and, again, watched Minazuki as he dressed, too.

"You look better," commented Minazuki as he moved the covers aside. Sho climbed in and lay down, nodding in response. Minazuki leaned down and kissed his cheek, tucking him in.

He turned away, about to leave Sho to sleep and to do the laundry, when he felt a grip on the hem of his shirt; glancing down, he stopped, and found Sho's lithe fingers holding onto him tightly.

"Don't go," the boy croaked, voice raspy and hoarse. "Stay." His voice cracked, and he looked about to cry again. Years of loneliness seemed apparent on his face, and he was sure he looked a lot like Ikutsuki in that moment in the boy's eyes.

A sigh escaped Minazuki's lips. Who was he to deny this childish man his wishes? Failing to turn him down time after time, Minazuki gave in once again tonight, moving aside the covers and lying down next to him. He pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before Sho turned over, facing the other way, and pushing up against Minazuki, who in turn tangled their legs together and wrapped a protective arm around him. He kissed him on the back of the neck and snuggled into his hair.

"Love you," Sho said suddenly, though comfortably. "Th... Thanks."

Minazuki's smile pressed against Sho's hair and he breathed out in relaxation. "I love you, too. Please go to sleep."

 


End file.
